Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

BROONZY, Big Bill

(b William Lee Conley Broonzy, 26 June 1893, Scott MS; d 15 Aug. '58, Chicago) Grew up in Arkansas, to Chicago '20; worked as redcap, had a farm late '30s, janitor late '40s, had a tavern Chicago '54; but recorded regularly from '26 with Cripple Clarence Lofton, Bumble Bee Slim, Memphis Slim, Washboard Sam, many others; solo: the best-selling black male blues singer in late '30s, as a sideman and contractor for the thriving blues recording scene in Chicago he must have recorded more than anybody else. John Hammond's Spirituals to Swing concerts, '38--9; first visit UK '51, became famous in Europe. Columbia LP Big Bill's Blues '56 showed him at his informal best: talked about his mother; he sang to her so she would give him his favourite tea-cakes (born a slave, she died '57 aged 102). The set incl. his versions of 'See See Rider', 'Trouble In Mind'; his own 'Texas Tornado', 'Bossie Woman'; gospel songs. Set of five LPs for Verve '57 incl. valuable reminiscence. Many compilations on Folkways, Yazoo, Biograph, Bluebird, EPM, Columbia; An Evening With and vol. in Portraits in Blues series '56 made for Storyville in Copenhagen. As-told-to biography Big Bill Blues '55. He said that some of his blues dated back at least to the 1890s.